In The Dark
by Chailyn Kamaria
Summary: A twisted retelling of The Lost Boys; Star is a full initiate in danger of turning feral, while Max plays a deadly game with the lives of the boys hanging in the balance. If David wants to hold onto Star and his pack, he must play along at all costs.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the Lost Boys or any of the characters. I'm not doing this for profit, just for fun.

**A/N:** This is my first published fanfic, I hope you enjoy it! Constructive criticism is always welcome.

_**Prologue**_

"They'll be coming for Laddie and me, won't they?" Star felt a jolt of panic as she realised she'd said those words out loud.

"They'll be coming for all of us." Michael replied, absently looking out of the window.

**5 Hours Later:**

"Maybe he's not dead."

"What?"

"Well it wasn't wood and I don't think it pierced his heart..."

"Star..."

"We need to help him."

"Star he's gone."

"No! He's not gone, he wouldn't leave me."

"Star, it's okay-"

"-No it's not okay. I'm sorry, David, I'm so sorry..."


	2. One Year Ago

_**A/N:** Just did a general clean up of this chapter._

* * *

_**One Year Ago**_

* * *

Star sat on a rock at the far end of the beach, well away from the festivities that were going on behind her. The rock's iciness bled through the thin material of her glittery skirt, making her question, whether it was entirely dry. Shifting uncomfortably on her cold seat, she looked back with envy at the gypsies gathered around a roaring bonfire, whose embers danced in the night sky. It's smoky scent wafted over to her and made her stomach grumble.

She tried so hard to feel some of the happiness she was supposed to be feeling, but it never came. So that was that. Her fate was sealed. A deep sigh escaped her lips. The light stung her eyes, and once more she turned away from the celebrations in disgust. A gentle calm enveloped her as she returned to the inky darkness and the noise of the party behind her became the crash of waves against the pier.

"Everything okay?" The deep voice startled her as she hadn't heard anyone approach. She looked up into a pale face crowned with a shock of platinum spiked hair, which contrasted from his all-black attire. He didn't look much older than she was in appearance, but something in his pale blue eyes said otherwise.

"What's your name?" he asked, when she hadn't answered his first question. She stared at him, wide-eyed.

"You do speak English, right?" He laughed. Star nodded, not trusting her voice. Swallowing, she shrugged off her cautiousness.

"I'm Star." She replied, and he smiled. It was an odd smile, though. Not one she was used to seeing on people when she told them her name. No jokes or lame pick-up lines followed, just an attempt to engage her in friendly conversation. Something in that smile unnerved her, however. Like he was privy to some joke that she was unaware of.

"I'm—"

"—I know who you are." She interrupted quietly, recognising the glint in his eye. She had seen it straight away, but it had taken her a moment to confirm her suspicions.

"You do?" The boy replied with amusement in his voice.

"Yes. My family told me about you and your kind."

"My kind?"

"You who 'walk with the night'." She air-quoted, smiling at him. "Vampires." She clarified.

"So, am I to be your next meal?" A bark of laughter escaped him.

"What if you are? You're going to stop me?"

"No. It doesn't bother me."

"Why not? You tired of living?" He smirked.

"Not really. More tired of being told what I must do and who I must be."

"Ah." He sat beside her on the rock, following her gaze toward the ocean. She didn't remember inviting him to sit down, but she wasn't about to tell him to leave. She also hadn't intended to tell him her problems, but if she was about to die at least someone would see how miserable she was.

"Gypsy wedding." Those two words were all she could manage.

"Who's the bride?"

"Me."

"You?" He looked surprised. "How old are you?"

"Seventeen."

"Bit young for marriage aren't you?" He frowned.

"On the contrary. I took too long choosing a suitor, so my parents have chosen for me."

"Is that what the gathering is for?" he asked, nodding towards the gypsies gathered around the bonfire.

"Uh huh. Engagement ceremony."

"And I take it that you don't like the suitor?"

"He's...nice..."

"But?" He prompted; however, she didn't get to answer.

"Star?" Voices were calling from the party. Star turned back to the vampire and smiled at him fearlessly.

"Will I be dead when they find me?" she asked. The vampire simply smiled and shook his head.

"Not yet." He got up to leave, but turned when he heard Star's voice whispering softly on the night breeze.

"Wait, you never told me your name."

"David." He whispered back, and with that he was gone.

When he was sure that he was out of her line of sight, he resumed watching her as she returned to the gypsies with mock enthusiasm. She had been right; he had intended for her to be his meal. Gypsies were notoriously difficult to separate, and he didn't fancy his chances to take them all on at once without the boys for backup. He hadn't been able to believe his luck when _she_ broke away from them to be by herself.

_She_.

He smiled to himself. She who knew _all_(!) about vampires and yet was naïve enough to leave the safety of her brethren to be by herself in a town as infamous as Santa Carla for things that go-bump-in-the-night. He had meant to kill her, but he hadn't. She intrigued him for some unfathomable reason. He was used to getting what he wanted when he wanted it, but with one smile from _her_, he was dismayed to discover that she was just out of reach. Even so, that wouldn't last for long. David always got what he wanted.

oOo

She still remembered that night like it was yesterday. Star knew all about the "evils" that lurked below and sometimes above Santa Carla's beach town persona. Being brought up on stories of vampires who were vicious killing machines, incapable of thought or emotion; she was completely unprepared for actually meeting one in person and especially one as charming as David.

She had always been a dreamer, an adventurer. Constantly painting over the world with what she wanted to see rather than accepting how it was. However, as days became weeks since meeting _him_, she had given into the fact that she was a gypsy and as such, should abide by her people's traditions. The women of the camp had been doing this for centuries so who was she to make waves? Nevertheless, she already knew the answer to that. She had always made waves, regularly asked questions, never satisfied with the way things were; an outcast among her own people.

The night of the hand-fasting and she found herself alone once again. Her mother had left her in the trailer after helping her get ready. She had sprigs and flowers in her hair, which was let down in a waterfall of wavy curls. A thin smudge of black lined her eyes, and berry juice stained her lips. Most gypsies had moved with the times and weren't so rigid with the customs; however, Star's family still held true to the traditions.

As she left the trailer, she smoothed down the top half of her dress, where the white cotton material had draped over the top of her waist cincher. She looked up to the night sky and became transfixed by her namesake and the way the moon cast a glittering path upon the ocean waves. She imagined walking across it and wondered where it might lead to. Another life perhaps?

She didn't hear him approach, hadn't even felt his presence, and she had been searching for it ever since they had first met. But don't they always say you never find what you are looking for until you're not looking for it? Had he been hunting her or had she drawn him to her? She wasn't sure, not that it mattered now. All she knew was that in that moment, she had been willing to die, and he knew it too.

_Hello, I've waited here for you  
Everlong..._  
_Tonight, I'll throw myself into  
And out of the red, out of her head she sang_

_Everlong – Foo Fighters_

Without saying a word he held out a gloved hand. She placed her hand in his and allowed him to lead her away from her people adding the final touches for the ceremony. Feeling his lips brush against hers, she found herself whispering once again.

"Will I be dead when they find me?"

"They won't find you." He whispered back.

_Come down, and waste away with me  
Down with me..._  
_Slow how, you wanted it to be  
I'm over my head, out of my head she sang_

_Everlong – Foo Fighters_

She felt her stomach drop as he launched them into the air and away from everything she had ever known. As they were flying, she became vaguely aware of a great pressure on her neck. David's embrace tightened, and all the energy seemed to drain from her body. She tried to breathe in the bitter cold night air, but all she could feel was a gurgling down her throat and unconsciousness suffocating her.

_Breathe out, so I could breathe you in  
Hold you in..._  
_And now, I know you've always been  
Out of your head, out of her head I sang_

And I wonder...  
When I sing along with you  
If everything could ever feel this real forever  
If anything could ever be this good again

The only thing I'll ever ask of you

_You've got to promise not to stop when I say when  
She sang..._

_Everlong – Foo Fighters_

oOo

Star was cold when she awoke. Her eyes were unfamiliar with the sight that greeted them. Broken pillars, hanging vines and various junk splayed about the place. Where was she? She got up from her resting place and decided to take a look around.

She entered what seemed to be the main room. There was a broken fountain occupying the centre with candles around the lip and what used to be a candelabra sat in the middle. To her right behind one of the pillars, there was a staircase which for the most part was covered in rubble. She imagined the whole place must have been quite impressive before it was destroyed.

Shafts of sunlight broke in through various points and hurt her eyes. Star passed her hand through the nearest beam and felt a sharp tingling run up her arm, like pins and needles. The longer she held it there, the more the pain intensified; a white heat spreading until her whole arm was shaking. She quickly withdrew her hand before the pain became unbearable and returned to the mattress she had been lying on. She flexed her hand until the pain in her arm subsided, then fatigue took her like it never had before. Holding her head in her hands, she tried to recall the events of the previous night. She remembered getting ready for the hand-fasting, her need for solace and...David. The Vampire.

Her brain started to race through the folklore of the Vampire, that her people had taught her. Fear of sunlight, hypersensitive to silver, allergic to Holy Water. Warded off by garlic, but not harmed by it. Warded off by crosses, but only if they had been blessed. Repulsed by their reflection. And finally, their need to feed on an enzyme that resided in blood, human blood.

The Gypsies rarely had to fear the Vampire. Not only did they regularly work with many of the materials that warded them off, but the Elders also concocted spells that were specifically designed to keep them at bay from wherever they made their camp. Only those foolish enough to leave the safety of these barriers would be at the mercy of these "monsters."

_Does __that __make __me __foolish __or __desperate?_ She wondered.

Maybe it was a little of both. What she was most perplexed about was why she had been turned? The answer to this question would have to wait until sunset, as sleep was calling to her intensely. She headed back to the old mattress and collapsed upon it, causing an explosion of dust to billow out from under her.

When she awoke for the second time, she found David watching over her, his cold eyes observing her and the corners of his mouth turned up slightly in a self-satisfied smirk.

"Somehow you're even more beautiful when you're asleep."

"How long have you been standing there?" She asked him, irritably. She wasn't in the mood for this inane banter. She wanted answers, and she wanted them now.

"Since sunset."

"Why?" Just a one worded question. Still, he seemed to understand what she was really asking him.

"I wanted you." He said quietly, eyes down. If she didn't know any better, she'd think the expression on his face was reminiscent of a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar. On David however, there was no guilt or remorse, only truth.

"I wanted you to join us, be one of us."

"Us?" She asked, fearing the answer.

"Yes, myself and my boys."

"Your _boys_?" She scoffed.

_This __just __keeps __getting __better __and __better._

"Come. I'd like you to meet them." He led her into the main room, where three other boys were waiting for David to return with his new "plaything."

"This is Marko." He gestured to the curly blonde closest, who nodded in greeting. "Dwayne..." a dark-haired boy standing on the edge of the fountain next to another blonde-haired boy who David introduced as "Paul."

"Pleasure." She muttered sarcastically.

"Boys, this is Star. She's family now."

"I am NOT your family." Star turned on her heel, back to the mattress she had been sleeping on. She heard David speaking to the others in a voice so low, that she couldn't make out what he was saying. She looked up to find the "boys" had gone and David was making his way over to her. Taking a deep breath, she analysed his scent of cigarettes, blood and leather, which wasn't entirely offensive to her improved sense of smell. Shaking her head, she concentrated on her fury and confusion.

"Why would you do this to me?"

"You were so unhappy there. You seemed like you would be better suited to the life that I could give you."

"That isn't a decision that you get to make." She snarled, scoffing when he smirked at her defiance. They sat in silence for some time before she spoke again. The words clung to her throat, like her mouth felt it had to ask, but her brain refused to let it speak because it already knew the answer.

"I'd have to kill people, wouldn't I?"

"Yes."

"Well what about animal blood?" David shook his head.

"Their blood doesn't contain enough of the enzyme that we need to survive."

"So I've traded morality for immortality? Some trade..."

"I'm not sorry I turned you, Star. Besides, you kill animals for food."

"I'm a vegetarian." She replied deadpan. David looked worried until he realised she was joking. They both collapsed into laughter.

"Where did the others go?" She asked, once she regained her composure.

"To the Boardwalk. I said we'd meet them later, once I'd talked to you."

"What is there to talk about, besides you turning me into a monster?"

"We're not monsters, Star. We're just a different species. Maybe I could show you around?"

"Around what?" She asked, intrigued how quickly he'd changed the subject.

"Here, the cave. It used to be the hottest resort in Santa Carla around 85 years ago, until— "

" —let me guess, the fault line?"

"Yeah. So now it's ours."

"You live here?" She didn't know why she was so surprised. Did she really think they were going to live in houses like normal people?

"Yeah. We're far away enough from the town, so we don't have to worry about people poking their noses around. And if they do, the warning signs and state of the wooden bridge usually keep them away from the cave itself."

He took her hand and led her out into the main area of the cave. The various light sources; the moon, the candles and lit oil drums reflected from scattered shiny objects around the room, casting eerie shadows across the cracked walls and broken architecture. David gestured to passages hidden behind rubble and explained where they led to.

"Over there leads to our collective room where we usually sleep, but we do have our individual rooms too. I'll show you to mine."

"Whose bed was I sleeping in?" She asked, as he led the way to his room. She didn't like the idea that she'd been sleeping in a strange boy's bed. Hell, she didn't like this whole messy situation, but felt as long as she could control the little things, she'd have some grip on her sanity.

"It's yours. I brought the mattress over from a room near my own that had caved in. Here..."

David's room looked less lived in than the rest of the cave, if that was possible. It had no door and wasn't nearly as cluttered as the main cavern was. One end of the room had a worn, heavily scratched and cigarette burnt mahogany desk with brass pulls adorning the many drawers. On top it had a neat pile of papers and scattered empty and half-empty Marlboro packets. An unevenly balanced stack of books were leaning against one side of the desk, but curving considerably towards the wall. She wondered if he had actually read all of those books, or whether they were just there to make him look sophisticated.

At the other end of the room was a King-size mahogany sleigh bed, whose blankets and mattress looked like they were in dire need of cleaning, as was her own. She sighed as she realised that dirt was to be a part of her future as a vampire. She already felt the blackness creeping into her soul, tarnishing it with her craving for blood and her need to take human life just to linger in the shadows.

"What do you need your own rooms for, if you all sleep in one room?"

"Wait until you get to know Paul. Then you'll understand why." He grinned at her. "Do you feel ready to go to the Boardwalk?"

"Will I have to kill tonight?"

"Not tonight, but soon. Tonight we'll just get you acquainted with your new senses; they can be overwhelming in a crowd." She followed him out of the cave to where the boys kept their bikes.

"Bikes? I thought you could fly?"

"We can, but flying in full view of humans tends to freak them out."

David helped her on behind him, which was to become her habitual place when she rode with the boys. She wrapped her arms around him tightly as they sped off at full speed along the cliff edge.

_**Star:**__And __driving __at __this __speed __doesn't __freak __humans __out._

She thought to herself. She nearly jumped out of her skin when David's voice appeared in her head, and she could have sworn she felt him smirking.

**David: **_Not __when __they __see __it's __us._

**Star:** _H-how?_

**David:** _One __of __the __perks __of __being __a __vampire, __Star. __The __power __of __suggestion __can __be __a __powerful __tool __in __luring __prey._

**Star: **_Can __you __get __out __of __my __head __now?_

The rest of the ride was spent in silence. David was right about her new senses being overwhelming. From the speeding bike, she could feel the tremor of people moving about on the Boardwalk, hear the hum of the lights, see individual grains of sand and smell and taste...blood on the breeze. She felt herself changing. It was strangely exhilarating.

When they arrived at the entrance to the Boardwalk, David parked his bike next to three others and then showed her how to use her new skill to locate and contact the boys.

"Aren't you worried about someone stealing your bike?"

"There isn't anyone around here who would be foolish enough to steal our bikes." She believed that. We met up with the other boys who were hanging around in front of the carousel.

"So do we have a new little sister or what?" asked Paul, with laughter in his voice. All eyes turned on her.

"Sure." She sighed. Her mind was screaming that they were all killers and one day she would have to be too. However, that didn't mean she couldn't say good-bye to her old life.


	3. Could You Remind Me of the Time

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the Lost Boys, nor the song by Paramore that is featured in this chapter.

**A/N: **Thank you to **Vive La Resistance** for my first review, I hope you enjoy the next installment.

[+ Another cleanup.]

* * *

_**C**__**ould You Remind Me of the Time When We Were So Alive?**_

* * *

"Star, the sun's coming up, get inside the cave." She stretched out her bare legs across the cool rocks in the warm rainfall, ignoring Marko's warning. The sun's rays wouldn't hurt her as badly as they did the boys, and she wasn't about to leave this little paradise she'd found. Besides, she was still angry with David and couldn't see why her staying up past her "bedtime" was anybody's concern.

"Where is she?" She heard David ask Marko just as the first of the rays burst over the horizon. Marko mumbled something she couldn't hear, but she soon felt David glaring at her from the cave entrance.

"Star, what are you doing?"

"Enjoying the sunrise."

"Get in. The cave. NOW!" She laughed and turned to face him.

"Why don't you come out and get me?" She challenged. Marko sighed heavily, and went back inside. David, however, turned up the collar on his coat, stormed out of the entrance, scooped her up and carried her back into the cave. Although the rays hadn't been prominent enough for him to burst into flames, they had been sufficiently strong to scold his skin.

He dumped her unceremoniously onto the love-seat, his fury surging down on her. They glowered at each other for some time, neither of them giving in to the other. As soon as the thought of them staying like this all day entered her head, David sighed and walked off in the direction of the boys' room.

"If you want to go out and catch a tan, go ahead." She hadn't expected him to give up so easily, maybe it was because they were both as stubborn as each other. As soon as he'd gone, she wrapped herself up in her shawl and left the cave. She'd never liked being told what to do and to leave one controlling family for another almost didn't seem fair. If she was fated to become a vampire, she was going to have just one last day to savour what it was like to be human.

Star made her way to the beach and a shady patch of shore under the pier, dipping her toes into the cool water. She enjoyed the sensation of the wet sand enveloping around the soles of her feet and then washing away as the sluggish waves lapped at them half-heartedly. She occasionally watched the day-workers picking up trash from along the beach, but mostly she watched the ocean. The Sun's rays grew stronger as the hours passed, she began to feel more lethargic. She didn't want to be passed out on the beach all day and the cave was too far away, so she decided to visit the gypsy camp and say good-bye to her family.

"Star? Where have you been? We thought something terrible had happened to you." Her mother embraced her tenderly, tears welling up behind her eyes.

"I'm okay, Mama. I just...I couldn't marry him."

"Shh, we'll talk about it later. Come and see the family, first." She followed her deeper into the camp towards their trailer. She opened the door, and the sweet smell of cinnamon wafted out. She was about the follow her in, when she was knocked back. She shook her head and looked into her mother's fearful eyes. The spells and wards that had protected us for so long, had now shown her family what she had become.

"Demon!" her mother whispered, terrified.

"No, mama, it's me, Star. I won't hurt you. I just wanted to come see you."

"DEMON!" She screamed, alerting the entire camp to Star's presence. They came running to see what had her mother so upset.

"I'm not a demon." She tried to reassure them, but just then someone splashed a gypsy equivalent to holy water over her. She screamed in pain and shock as her skin bubbled up and began to melt where the water had splashed her.

"Cast out the demon!" Someone shouted.

"Please don't do this! I don't want to hurt any of you." Before she knew what was happening, she had been restrained and knocked to the floor.

_When __we __get __home, __I __know __we __won't __be __home __at __all  
__This __place __we __live  
__It __is __not __where __we __belong,  
__And __I __miss __who __we __were  
__And __the __town __that __we __could __call __our __own  
__Going __back __to __get __away __after __everything __has __changed  
__  
__Cause __you __remind __me __of __the __time __when __we __were __so __alive  
__(Everything __has __changed)  
__Do __you __remember __that?  
__(Everything __has __changed)  
__Could __you __help __me __push __aside __all __that __I __have __left __behind  
__(Everything __has __changed)  
__Do __you __remember __that?_

Franklin - Paramore

oOo

She gingerly opened her eyes to darkness, unable to move any of her limbs. Blinking away stinging tears, she could just make out the Gypsies stacking firewood onto a large bonfire. Although she no longer needed to breathe, the thick smoke drifted down her throat and clutched tightly at her lungs, making her choke. Panic took hold of her as she realised they truly meant to "cleanse" her soul and rid her of the "demon" that had entered her body.

"Please, you can't do this." Her plea turned into a yelp as one of the Gypsy Elders chastised her with the Holy Water.

"Quiet, Demon!" She turned to the rest of the Gypsies gathered around her in fear. "Do not listen to its lies!" Once the Gypsy Elder was satisfied with the bonfire and that all was prepared, she turned to address the camp.

"My family, tonight is a sad one as we bid farewell to our daughter, Star. Let us burn her body so this demon may no longer haunt her shell."

She tried to wriggle free from her restraints, but they held fast. The board she was tied to was hoisted into the air and carried towards the fire. She screamed and convulsed violently. The board bounced free from the hands who held it and onto the hard ground, where it broke in half. Star untangled herself from the loosened ropes and stood up to face her captors.

The ropes bit into her skin, leaving deep lacerations all over her body. Some of the rope had fused into her skin where she had been splashed with the Holy Water. Out of the corner of her eyes, she could see Gypsies advancing on her with all manner of vampire deterrents. Using her other senses she could tell she was trapped. If she wanted to get out, she'd need to become the monster, she had sworn to them that she wasn't.

"If you want a demon..." She whispered. "...then I'll give you a demon..."

Her fangs elongated; eyes turned amber rimmed with red and her facial muscles morphed into her vampire-self. Drawing on strength and courage, she prepared herself to fight those she had once called family.

_So __we __stand __here __now,  
__And __no __one __knows __us __at __all  
__I __won't __get __used __to __this,  
__I __won't __get __used __to __being __gone  
__And __going __back __won't __feel __the __same __if __we __aren't __staying  
__And __going __back __to __get __away __after __everything __has __changed_

_Cause __you __remind __me __of __the __time __when __we __were __so __alive  
__(Everything __has __changed)  
__Do __you __remember __that?  
__(Everything __has __changed)  
__Could __you __help __me __push __aside __all __that __I __have __left __behind  
__(Everything __has __changed)  
__Do __you __remember __that?  
_Franklin – Paramore

As she became a blur of fangs and fists, all she could think about was getting back to the boys. Gypsy law said that once married, you "belonged" to your new family; and you were to leave your old one behind. So for all intents and purposes Star had married into David's "family." However; fighting her old family to get back to her new one, still seemed wrong, and she froze when she came fang to face with her father. Morphing into her human-face, she dropped to her knees. As she looked up into his eyes for forgiveness, the sound of wings filled the air and cold metal plunged through her chest.

"David..." She whispered, before falling face down onto the soft grass.

_Taking __up __our __time..._

_It's __taking __up __our __time..._

_It's __taking __up __our __time._

_We __can't __go __back, we __can't __go __back __at __all  
__It's __taking __up __our __time_

_Taking __up __our __time..._

Franklin – Paramore

The Lost Boys came for her, protecting their new sister from all who may harm her. Screams and growls deafened her, while blood, fear and anger hung bitterly in her nostrils. She was scooped up and dragged away from the chaos.

"Star! Get up, we need to get out of here."

"I'm...sorry..."

"Not now. Just hold onto me. Boys let go!"

Pain shot through her body as David lifted her off the ground and launched into the air. She passed out during the flight back to the cave, and woke up on the tattered couch. All four boys were staring down at her, but she couldn't work out if they were looks of pity or annoyance.

"Are you okay?" David blinked at her, not giving away any emotion on his face. She struggled to sit up, wincing at the pain in her stomach from the stab wound and trying not to throw up.

"I think so..."

"Should heal okay, didn't hit anything major; I don't think." Dwayne confirmed, as he helped Star take a drink. His "I don't think" hadn't reassured her. She almost spat out the liquid coursing down her throat, when she realised it was blood, however, the strength it gave her quelled any desire to.

"What were you doing, Star?" David asked her; his voice controlled.

"I just..." Star sighed as she realised what she was about to say sounded stupid, but it was the only thing she could think of to justify her actions; if anything could. "...I just wanted to say good-bye to them."

"To your family who hate vampires? Smart." Paul laughed, although no one laughed with him.

"Boys, why don't you go out and hunt. I need to talk with Star." Slowly, Dwayne, Paul and Marko left. She reluctantly looked up at David, who appeared to be preparing to repeat a speech she'd heard countless times in her youth from her parents. The old – "I'm not angry, just disappointed."

"That's not what I was going to say, Star."

"How did you— "

" —I know why you went back to them, Star. However, you need to understand, that by your choice or not, that part of your life is over now. I know that you're having trouble...adjusting— "

" —Adjusting, is that what you call it? You mean _adjusting_ to becoming a killer?" He held his hand up, to prevent her from saying anything further.

"Your actions put all of us in danger. _My_ family, Star. Whether you want to join us or not is irrelevant, though I assure you, you will. The next time you expose my family to a threat like that, I will— "

" —You'll what? Kill me? Go on, put me out of my misery, like you should have done the first time we met!" His hand was around her throat so fast, she hadn't seen his arm move.

"Don't. Test. Me." He said in a controlled voice, his eyes glittering with specks of hate. She was pushing him over the edge, and she didn't want an enraged vampire in her face.

"I'm going out to hunt. Do what you want." He let go of her and walked out of the cave, leaving her in a crumpled heap on the love-seat. Star's breath came in shallow bursts as she tried to calm herself down. She felt a spasm of pain, and she wasn't sure if it was from her stab wound, or if it truly hurt to have him leave her like that. She made her way over to her bed and lay down, giving her wounds time to heal and time to think about what she really wanted.

oOo

Marko was the first to come back, waiting for Star to notice him standing politely by the entrance to her "room." She liked Marko. Out of the other boys, he was the only one that she could hold a conversation with besides David. Paul couldn't be serious for more than a minute at best, and she got the feeling that Dwayne didn't like her unbalancing the stable home-life the pack had.

"Come in, Marko." She sighed when she felt his presence.

"I brought you something."

"What is it?" She asked intrigued. He pulled a black bag from behind him and dumped it in front of her.

"I thought maybe you were missing home a little, so I snuck back to the gypsy camp and brought you some things."

"Thank you, but how did you get in there without being seen?"

"Oh they weren't actually in the camp. I figured they tossed them out after we left. Cleansing and all that bullshit."

"Right..." Star sighed sadly. She smiled gratefully at Marko, taking the bag from him and looking through it. Clothes, shawls, cushions and a teddy bear she'd had since she was little. She took out the teddy bear carefully and held it close to her chest, earning her a childish grin from Marko.

"No teasing." She smiled, playfully. He held his hands up and shook his head.

"How long since you left your family?" Star asked him. Even with his vampiric style, she could tell he had at one time belonged to her brethren. That he was once a gypsy too.

"Long time ago."

"Has David got a thing for gypsies?" Marko laughed.

"Not at all. Paul was a runaway, and I'm not sure where Dwayne came from. He and David were already Brothers when they came to Santa Carla."

"How do you do it, Marko? Killing night after night?"

"We don't hunt every night, Star. And believe me, it does get easier."

"That's the thing. I'm not sure I want it to get easier."

"There's no going back, Star. And the longer you resist, the harder it's going to be."

"You guys must really hate me, huh? Coming in here and upsetting everything."

"You're having a tough time adjusting; it happens. I think we just feel uncomfortable around you, because you remind us of how hard it was for us"

"Did you have trouble too?"

"Everyone has doubts at the beginning, no matter what David says. It all depends on how long it takes you to accept what you are."

"Thank you, Marko. For everything."

"Your welcome." He winked at her, and made his way to his own room. Star cuddled up with her bear and drifted into sleep.

She woke up in the middle of the day, still clutching the worn bear to her chest. She smiled to herself, knowing her decision was made. Gingerly getting out of bed she made her way to David's room, hoping that he had chosen his own room to sleep in today. She peered into his room and found his sleeping form on the bed; arms crossed over his chest. It amused her to see how innocent he looked when he slept, almost child-like. Part of her wanted to let sleeping vampires lie, but Star knew if she didn't tell him now, she would change her mind.

"David?" She whispered, blowing softly on his cheek.

"Hmm?" He stirred.

"I think I'm ready." He turned over and smiled at her, still half-asleep.

"You're certain?"

"I'm sure."

He held out his hand, inviting her to lay with him. As she joined him, he kissed her forehead and a sigh of approval escaped his lips. Nothing was said, but Star knew she belonged to him now. Before sleep completely took hold of her, she watched David's cold, calculating eyes withdraw behind lids that reverted him back into the child-like repose she had witnessed earlier. It unnerved her. When you know something is that dangerous you want it to act that way. You don't want to see what might have been before, no matter how distorted the image.

_Cause you remind me of a time  
When we were so alive  
Do you remember that?  
Do you remember that?_

Franklin – Paramore


	4. Innocence & Naïveté

**A/N: It took me longer than I thought it would to edit this chapter, but I'm finally happy with it.**

* * *

_**Innocence & Naïveté**_

* * *

It was five months later and Star hadn't made her first kill, although things were getting easier. At first, it was because she was still healing from the fight with her family; moving was painful and she could hardly be stealthy and discreet when every wrong move had her screaming in agony. After her injury had healed, she wasn't as certain as she had been five months ago about becoming a full vampire. Fear of the unknown got the better of her.

Occasionally Star would make excuses not to go hunting with the boys as she was still uncomfortable about the idea of taking human lives. They saw right through her lies, but didn't push her. The tension between them had died down, and Star began to feel more comfortable joining in with the boys and their antics around town.

She also began to add her own touches around the cave. Draping scarves and shawls over the furniture that the boys had found in uninhabitable rooms that they thought she might like. Yards of lace were hung up as curtains around her bed, to give herself a little more privacy – much to the disappointment of Paul. She even fashioned a kind of mobile from various junk she had found lying on the beach, which they had hung up above the fallen chandelier. As an apology gift, Star made each of the boys a special earring. Each one was different, but she made sure that it fit their individual style.

The boys in return taught her how to communicate with them telepathically and other things like survival tactics, should she ever need them. They also taught her how to lure her prey, which they promised her would come in handy when she was a full vampire. For the moment, Star was the hook that reeled in the boys' own prey.

Although the tension between Star, Marko, Paul and Dwayne had gone, the tension between herself and David seemed to be getting worse. She had more or less promised him that she was ready to be like them, and still hadn't made her first kill. David would allow her to roam the Boardwalk on her own, but he'd always be disappointed when she came back the same as when she had left.

After four nights of this test, it started to work. Star felt a hunger she never had before. Unfortunately, she was in a deserted part of the beach, trying to get her cravings to die down. She needed to find something to eat and soon. A searing pain burned throughout her body, dropping her to her knees. Blind panic took hold of her as she realised she couldn't breathe. She gripped handfuls of sand in an effort to control the pain.

"Hey? You okay?" Star looked up at the owner of the voice with spots swimming in front of her eyes.

"You want me to get someone..."

His voice became muffled in her ears until all she could hear was his heart beating and the blood pumping through his body. Before Star could stop herself, she had grabbed him by the neck and was draining him. His hands clawed at her face and arms, but her desperate hunger had made her grip strong and soon his body began to go limp.

oOo

Star dumped the body the way the boys had shown her and went looking for them to tell them the good news. She couldn't help but feel like a huge weight had been lifted, and now she was free to do what she wanted. It was an intoxicating feeling, that had her skipping and dancing across the sand. She slowed her steps as she heard raised voices to her right, and followed them until she came upon a little boy of about ten years old, cornered by two men.

"I'm lost is all. I'm just trying to find my Mom." The boy was saying, but the men just laughed.

"Well the problem is, Squirt, is that you're in our territory, and we don't like trespassers!"

"We're on the beach; it's a public place. It belongs to everyone." The boy fired back. She had to hand it to him; he was handling his fear well. The guy on the right glared at him and grabbed the boy by his collar.

"You wanna say that again to my face?"

Forgetting the fact that she was outnumbered, and she had only just made her first kill; Star spoke up from the shadows and got between the two men and the little boy.

"Hey! What the hell is wrong with you two? He's just a kid!"

She realised her mistake as they turned and faced her; eyes glowing menacingly, she caught their scent and Star knew what she had accidentally stumbled upon. However, it was too late to disappear into the shadows now.

"Get out of here! 'T ain't nothing to do with you." The left vampire snarled, baring his newly dropped fangs.

"Yeah, newbie. This is our kill." The one holding the kid clarified.

"I'm perfectly capable of finding my own and when I do it won't be an innocent kid because I'm too weak to take on someone my size!" Star winced after the insult had left her mouth.

_I __really __need __to __learn __to __keep __my __mouth __shut..._

"Our own size, huh? You mean like...you?" The right vampire dropped the boy and shifted into his vampire façade, advancing on her with a dangerous glint in his eyes. She started to back up, trying desperately to contact the boys.

"Run!" She shouted to the boy, who didn't hesitate to pick himself up and get the hell out of there. The advancing vampire cried out in frustration and yelled to his partner.

"Get after him, Eddie! I'll take care of her." She felt her own features change as a silent rage grew inside of her.

"You know, if you weren't such an interfering bitch, I'd consider making you my girl. I'd have to share you with her brother, though. We share everything."

"That's such a tempting offer, but I'm taken."

"Too bad."

He leapt forward; Star dodged to her right-a fraction too late and felt his claws tear through her arm. She threw a weak punch with her left hand and caught him at an odd angle on his chin. He staggered back a few steps and spat on the sand. In one swift movement, he slapped her hard across the face, knocking her to the ground. The left side of her face felt like it was on fire. She felt the grains of sand cling to the blood from her wounds, making it itch like crazy but all she could do was lay there, dazed until she felt his weight on top of her.

"Usually I have a problem with hitting women, but for you, I'll make an exception."

Star closed her eyes as he tightened his hand around her throat and pulled his arm back, ready to punch her. However, nothing happened. She'd been preparing to scratch, bite and kick when the blow came, but nothing happened. Star opened her eyes to find her attacker lying unconscious on the sand next to her.

A lump of guilt lodged in her throat as she braced herself for the annoyance in David's eyes. However, when she looked up her eyes met the little boy, whom she'd protected. He stood over her holding a length of driftwood almost as big as he was. The end he had used to knock out the vampire, was methodically dripping blood. Star smiled at him.

"I thought I told you to run."

"I did, but I came back."

"What's your name?"

"Laddie."

"I'm Star."

"Are you okay?"

"I am n—LOOK OUT!" She screamed as the vampire known as Eddie, tackled the boy, knocking the driftwood out of his hands and sank his teeth into Laddie's neck.

"NO!"

oOo

"What are you doing here?" Max growled, as he noticed the four boys striding their way arrogantly into his video store.

"You said you wanted to see me." David smirked.

"I didn't mean here and you damn well know it."

"Well, I'll guess we'll go then—"

"No, come in the back. I don't want people to see you in here."

Max asked Maria to make sure that they were not disturbed, before leading them into the back room. He sat down at his desk across from them, but before he could chastise their behaviour, his phone rang. David sat down casually on the couch and took this opportunity to analyse the room he was in. They were rarely permitted inside the video store, not that that stopped them. But, whatever David was expecting; this wasn't it.

He supposed this was Max's office, although Max would never be as formal as that around humans. It was all rather bland. No neon perspex hanging from the ceiling or stuck to the walls. No televisions playing cheesy B-movies or music videos and no pop music blaring from the speakers. Just boring beige walls and Max's monotonous voice droning on about some order that was delayed. David looked up at the boys; who were leaning uncomfortably against the walls, with a smile telling them they would be out of here soon.

"I thought I told you to mind me, David." said Max, once he had put the phone down.

"You did. Doesn't mean I listened."

"So I've noticed. Who's the girl?"

What—"

"—and don't bother pretending you don't know who I'm talking about. The girl – who is she?"

"Her name is Star."

"Have you been trying to impress pretty girls with the size of your choppers again?"

Paul started to snigger, but thought better of it when he saw Max's glare.

"Not at all. She already knew all about us."

"How is that possible?"

"Her folks told her." David sighed. He hadn't intended to tell Max everything about Star, but if it meant he could get out of here faster...

"Her folks?" Max's eyes widened in realisation. He was across the room faster than David could blink, pinning him up against the wall with one hand.

"You brought a Gypsy into my family?"

"She's strong, Max; she'll make you proud."

"I don't give a shit if she could become the strongest vampire ever known. I will not have filthy Gypsy blood watering down my legacy. Now get rid of her!"

Max released his grip from David's throat. David felt his bruised neck and coughed, wincing at the dull pain it brought.

"I can't do that, Max."

"Why not? Oh don't tell me, you're infatuated with her! For fuck's sake, David, stop thinking with what's in your pants and start thinking about what is best for this family."

"I am—"

"—no you're not. You are never going to rise higher than you are, or gain the respect of your peers in this town if you don't start playing by the rules."

"Maybe I like the way things are."

"You do? Well, I could make things a lot less comfortable if you don't do as you're told."

"Hey! I'm not your hell hound, Max. You can't threaten to put me in the pound because I bark at the neighbours."

"That's exactly what I can do—"

"—she stays. End of."

"Fine. But she's your responsibility, David."

"That goes without saying. Anything else?"

"No, you can go."

They filed out of the back room, and just as they were leaving, Max called after them.

"Don't come in here any more. I catch you shoplifting in here again I'm going to call beach security, or worse your parents."

David chuckled silently to himself as he made his way to his bike. A flash of concern flitted briefly across his face as the engine roared to life. He nodded to the other boys to see if they had also received the mental distress call. Star was in trouble again.

OOo

They found her on the beach, huddled over a small form and two bodies either side of her. The boys sensed the change in her, knew she had made her first kill. However, what should have been cause for celebration disintegrated into fear and concern as they drew closer to Star and the body she held in her arms.

"Star, what have you done?" asked David, trying to keep his anger under control.

"I-I...k-killed..." she managed between sobs.

"I see that." David gestured to the bodies around her. Paul and Marko were giving each other nervous glances, unsure of what the best thing to say or do was in this situation. Star looked up at David in distress, as she realised he believed she was responsible for the death in their midst.

"No, I-I didn't kill them." She averted her eyes and then snarled "Except for that one..." gesturing to the body on her right.

"They're vampires, David." Dwayne confirmed, after examining the body on Star's left.

"They were going to hurt him. He was only a kid, and I didn't know what they were until it was too late, so I told him to run and I tried to fight them..." she knew she was babbling and half of what she was saying, didn't even make sense to herself, but somehow they got the gist of what she was trying to tell them.

"Have you seen them before, Dwayne?" David asked him.

"No."

"What about you two?"

Paul and Marko took a quick glance at the bodies and shook their heads.

"Probably out-of-towners." Paul shrugged.

"That's no excuse." Dwayne spat. He sat next to Star and stroked the hair of the boy.

"Dwayne...I know what you're thinking, and the answer is no." David warned.

"We can't just toss him, David."

"What are you two talking about?" asked Star, bewildered.

"We cannot turn a kid—"

"—turn him? You mean to make him like us?" Star asked.

"I said no."

"David, if there's some chance of saving him..."

"There isn't. He's already dead. Making him one of us won't change that."

"Please, David. He saved my life."

David looked into the pleading glances of Star and Dwayne and then the hesitant ones belonging to Paul and Marko.

"No. We can't. There are rules about this sort of thing."

"Rules have never bothered you before." Muttered Dwayne, loud enough for David to hear him.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" asked David. Dwayne glanced at Star and then at David. "Fine. But, he'll be your responsibility. Both of you." David tried to recall why that sentence sounded familiar and inwardly groaned as he realised Max had said the exact same thing to him about Star only moments before.

"So what do I do?" Star asked.

"Uh-no, _you_ don't do anything." scoffed David. Nonetheless, he pondered; Star becoming a Sire would cement her place within their little family and make it harder for Max to demand they get rid of her. Upon quickly weighing the pros and cons in his head, David decided it was probably safer to stay on Max's good side for now. He wasn't about to give Max yet another reason to be pissed off with him. Not tonight anyhow.

"But you just said he was my responsibility." She countered.

"I meant watching out for him, Star. You've only just made your first kill. You're not ready to take on Sire duties. Dwayne can handle it. Paul, Marko; come with me, we'll get rid of these two. Meet us back at the cave."

"So how does this work?" Star asked, intrigued by what was about to happen.

"Usually we'll use bottled blood, make an informal ceremony of it. However, time is a factor for us right now."

Star watched as Dwayne bit hard into his wrist, and held it over the boy's mouth. Blood flowed out of Dwayne and into Laddie, and she became transfixed by how it poured like water out of a tap. Soon the blood-flow eased and became little more than a trickle. When it stopped completely, Dwayne removed his wrist and licked his self-inflicted wound clean.

"Come on, let's get him back to the cave."

* * *

"Should I watch him?" Star asked Dwayne, as they made Laddie comfortable in a bed next to hers.

"I doubt he'll wake up before sunset." He replied. "I'm going to go out and feed real quick. Will you be okay by yourself?"

"Yeah. I'm going to tend to my wounds."

"Just try not to get into any more trouble, yeah?"

"Very funny."

"Oh and Star?"

"Hmm?"

"Well done on your first kill. Good to have you with us."

Star finally felt accepted into the Lost Boys. She was theirs and they were hers, and at the time it felt like nothing would ever change that. Little did she know, how wrong she was...


	5. Set In Motion

_**A/N: **__I hope you're all enjoying the story!_

* * *

_**Set In Motion**_

* * *

"Damn, I left my jacket on the beach."

"Leave it, I'll get you a new one." David said impatiently.

"I don't want a new one; I want that one." Star nudged him playfully.

"She does look pretty hot in it, David." Paul laughed, earning him a glare from David. Star giggled silently, trying to hide her amusement from him.

"I promise I won't be long, please?"

"You'll come straight back?"

"Yes, I'll come straight back. Wouldn't want me falling in with the wrong crowd, would we?"

David gave her a warning look, which she returned with a smile. Teasing him about his overprotective ways, was one of her favourite games, just as his manipulation over where she could go and who she could talk to was one of his. Star had discovered in the months she had lived with the boys, that a relationship with David; either romantic or otherwise was impossible without playing along with his mind games.

David looked at each of the knowing glances on each of his boys' faces, and then to Star, who already knew she had won this round.

"Fine." David replied in his controlled tone of voice.

"She's turning you soft, man." Dwayne mumbled loud enough for David to hear. David sighed, knowing it was true.

Star hurried back through the crowds to the beach. If she had been mortal, it would be near impossible to remember the exact spot, they had been earlier that night, especially with the darkness overwhelming most senses. Being a vampire, she no longer needed to rely solely on memory or sight, when her sense of smell had increased exponentially.

Within a few minutes, Star had located her jacket and ran over to it, brushing off the sand and slipping into the familiar feel of it around her shoulders. She had started walking back when her enhanced hearing told her there was someone behind her. Of course, it might simply be a party-goer; as she passed quite a few on her way here. However, the footsteps shadowed her own movements, which could only mean that someone was following her.

_He __really __doesn't __trust __me._

Star thought bitterly to herself. She had been full now for just over six months and still hadn't been allowed completely out of David's sight, in case she had "urges" beyond her control and drew unnecessary attention to the boys. The transition had been hard on her, and it had taken some time to become altogether comfortable with joining the ranks of her brethren.

Star understood David's reasons for keeping her by his side, truly she did, but how could she ever learn to be restrained if she wasn't allowed off the leash every now and then? She decided to take out her frustration on whoever was stalking her.

"Which one of you is my designated shadow tonight, huh?" Only to find it wasn't one of the boys. Granted it was a boy, just not someone whom she recognised. His hair was dark with a platinum-blonde streak. He had a hard, angular face and a mouth that seemed to be permanently turned up into a sneer.

"Sorry, thought you were somebody else." She mumbled.

"That's alright. Hey you ride with them bikers, right?" His voice was deep and gravelly and his words spoken slowly, deliberately.

"Um, yeah." She answered cautiously.

"Where are they now? Doesn't seem right that they should let a girl like you roam around on your own."

"I can take care of myself."

He laughed.

"I'm sure you can."

"I've got to go."

"No. You don't."

"What?"

Star turned to find a group of haphazardly dressed men, closing in on her. She drew on her increasing strength and punched the guy as hard as she could. The rest of the gang grabbed her before she could swing again.

"You little bitch!" One of them screamed at her. The boy that she had punched, got up and dabbed at the side of his mouth where Star had hit him and spat the blood out.

"Now. That wasn't very nice was it? We were just being friendly, is all."

"Get your hands off me."

"And what if we don't, hmm?" He cupped her face and tried to kiss her.

Instinct took over as she lashed out and bared her fangs, snapping at anything within biting distance. Star thought she had learned her lesson from when she had saved Laddie. It was obviously a lesson she hadn't learned completely. In the blur that was Star fighting off grabbing hands and the boys trying to overpower her, someone managed to land a blow to her stomach. It seemed silly that she should still be affected by such things when she couldn't essentially be winded, but maybe it was the shock of the action. Either way, Star crumpled into a ball on the sand. Greg made his way over and lifted her up by the shoulder of her jacket, and with his other hand, he made a fist and punched her hard in the face. Star tried to drag herself backward, but the guys behind held her down. She felt Greg's weight fall on top of her and his hands wrestling with her clothes while the others cheered him on.

"Oh you _really_ don't want to do that." She said through gritted teeth.

"And why's that?"

There was a growl behind him. When he turned round his head snapped around, and a spray of blood and sweat hit her in the face. A violent brawl ensued as the Surf-Nazi's tried to protect their leader from the newcomer. Star got to her feet and landed a few punches of her own. Once they started to run she collapsed onto the sand. A hand reached for hers, and she lashed out in pain and shock, until she realised that the hands reaching for her belonged to Dwayne.

"What happened?" he asked, a scowl on his face.

Star shook her head. He held out his hand once more and this time; she reluctantly took it. Star really didn't want to go back and face David right now. She loved him, but it seemed like all she did these days was disappoint him, and the mental torture that he put her through when he was proved right was unbearable.

Dwayne led her back to the bikes at a leisurely pace with his arm around her shoulders. She shivered, but not from the cold. She was unused to this sort of loving touch from her brothers. Sure they hugged and rough-housed, but this gentle embrace was usually reserved for David alone. Taking care of Laddie had brought Star and Dwayne closer, but she still didn't feel as familiar with him as she did with the others.

"You didn't kill them." He said, so quietly that she wasn't sure he had actually spoken.

"I didn't think David would like that many bodies on his hands." A bark of laughter escaped his mouth.

"What's funny?"

"You worry more about the clean up than whether you could have handled them all? You're definitely becoming one of us, Star." She smiled. However, it faded immediately when she saw David. Paul and Marko were trying to keep Laddie amused, and David was getting more impatient by the second.

"There you are. Where have you been?"

"David..." Marko nudged him when he noticed Star. David's eyes went wide as he took in the dishevelled state she was in. The tears in her favourite jacket, the blood falling from her nose and mouth, the bruises around her eyes already starting to show.

"Star?" Laddie cried, scrambling off the back of Paul's bike and into her arms.

"It's okay, Laddie. I'm okay."

"What the hell happened?" asked David.

"Surf-Nazi's. Jumped her." Dwayne established. David turned an impressive shade of red, before muttering something about killing them, and speeding off into the night.

"David!" She screamed after him, but he'd already gone.

"Get on!" Marko said to her, revving his engine. "We gotta catch him before he does something stupid."

They raced off after him, weaving in and out of the crowds, earning them curses as they passed. Paul caught sight of David tearing past the stadium and increased his speed. With one swift movement, he skidded in front of David's bike, blocking his way.

"Paul, get out of my way!" As Dwayne and Marko pulled up next to him, Star jumped off Marko's bike and grabbed David's gloved hand.

"David, don't."

"They hurt you— "

"Yeah, and we'll get them for it, but not here, not now."

"C'mon, David. You're the one who's supposed to be teaching her self-control." Paul laughed. David nodded and smiled, but the smile didn't reach his eyes.

"Hey, you!" We all looked around to see a portly security guard waving his baton at us.

"Is there a problem?" David asked as innocently as David can.

"Yes there is. I'm sick of you kids terrorising the Boardwalk."

"It won't happen again."

"Damn right it won't. Stay off the Boardwalk. Consider this a warning." He scowled at us and turned away, probably off to spoil someone else's fun. Star was unsure if vampires possessed killing stares, but the way they were all glaring at the security guard, she doubted he'd be alive for much longer.

"Come on, Boys. Time to go home." David sighed irritably. He helped Star onto the back of his bike and headed towards the cave at breakneck speeds. Despite the pain that embraced her, she wrapped her arms around his waist tighter as he increased to a speed that left the others trailing far behind.

His muscular body was unusually tense under her touch, and she started to fear what he might be planning. Not only, had "his girl" been attacked, but some asshole had actually attempted to tell his gang what they couldn't do. She wouldn't want to be an enemy of The Lost Boys right now.

David pulled up sharply next to the wooden steps. He was already heading across the rickety bridge, and was nowhere to be found inside the cave once the boys caught up. As soon as they reached the bottom of the rubble covered steps leading into the cave, Paul immediately turned on his rock-box, and normality seemed to resume. Marko attended to the few pigeons that had decided to roost inside the cave for the night, while Dwayne sat with Laddie, reading comic books to him.

Although he was nowhere in sight, Star knew exactly where David would be. Whenever his frustrations threatened to seep to close to the surface, David always sought solace in a cove around the back of the cave. It was higher above the water than the entrance to the cave was, the crashes of waves weren't so deafening and the sea spray seemed to comfort him.

"You all right, girl?" Paul asked, jumping down from the fountain. He had been trying to get her to dance with him for the past half hour, but a persistent dull aching in her body had made her decline. It now seemed to be getting worse.

"Hmm."

Star rested her throbbing head in her hands. Her limbs felt heavy and although her eyes perceived their movement, it seemed to take a while for her brain the process the information. She was vaguely aware of a voice speaking to her. Looking up she found Paul watching her with a frown on his face. It was so strange to see that expression on his face, that she burst out laughing. Star instantly regretted the action when the nausea hit her.

"Paul...I don't—don't feel so good..." She barely heard him yell "whoa," before She passed out.

"What happened?" asked Marko.

"I dunno, she just passed out. Help me get her over to the bed."

"I'll get David." said Dwayne, putting down the comic he was reading and heading towards the back of the cave. Laddie rushed over to the bed and held Star's hand. Dwayne quickly returned with David, who bent over her form and kissed her gently on the forehead.

"Marko, get the bottle." David uncorked the bottle and tilted it to Star's lips, slowly allowing the blood to trickle down her throat.

"What's wrong with her?" Marko asked.

"She spent too long as a half, rejecting blood. She became a full on too little blood, that coupled with the attack tonight has weakened her. She'll be okay in a couple of days, but until then the blood-lust could overwhelm her. We'll need to keep an eye on her, if she's allowed to give in to her blood-lust completely, she could become feral."

"Feral?" asked Paul.

"It's what happens when new vampires are left to their own devices without guidance." Murmured Dwayne looking knowingly at David.

"How'd you know that?" Paul asked.

"Because it's what happened to Dwayne..." David answered. "It's how Max, and I found him."

"So you can bring back feral vampires?" asked Marko.

"It's rare to succeed completely. We were lucky with Dwayne." David sighed and caressed Star's face. "I failed her tonight. When she left the gypsy camp, I promised her that I would protect her from ever getting hurt again."

"You couldn't have known those assholes were going to jump her." said Paul.

"Yeah, man. Let's just take them out. We aren't the only ones who wouldn't miss them around Santa Carla." said Marko.

"I'm sure Max would just love that surge of bodies turning up." said Dwayne.

"No, Dwayne. Marko's got a point. Fuck Max, this is between us and them."

When the sun had set the following night, the boys had only one thing on their mind; revenge.


	6. Best Served Cold

_**A/N:** I've been away longer than I would have liked. To make up for my absence, here's an extra long chapter. _

_Thank you so much to my reviewers, I'm glad you're all enjoying the story. For those asking about Star becoming feral – don't worry, she's on the path!_

* * *

_**Best Served Cold**_

* * *

"I'm feeling much better."

"I'm sure you are. You're still not coming."

"Why the hell not, Dwayne? I'm the one they attacked!"

"David wants to send them a message."

"I'm capable of giving them my own."

Star threw the shawl off, swung her legs around and stood up. She took about ten steps before collapsing. Paul and Marko, who had been waiting for Dwayne, came rushing over to help her back into bed. Dwayne sighed and gave a look telling her not to push her luck.

"Yes, we see you're perfectly capable."

Paul ruffled her hair before leaving with Marko and Star tried swallowing the lump lodged in her throat. Dwayne squatted next to the bed and held her hand.

"Star, please, do as you're told."

"I just don't like being helpless."

"So don't be. Just concentrate on getting healthy again." Star tried to smile, but it was more of a grimace. She heard Dwayne talking quietly to someone on the other side of her lace curtain. Laddie came in, sat on her bed and watched over her as she slept.

oOo

"Right boys, this is what we're going to do. No getting distracted, tonight is about the Surf-Nazis and no one else. We find them. We stalk them. We kill them. This has gone on long enough; I don't care what Max says or thinks. They've threatened one of our own, and it's time we make them pay for it."

The boys whooped and yelled as they took to the air, leaving their bikes behind; they didn't need them tonight. They'd left as late as they possibly could, just before the Boardwalk closed for the night. Leaving themselves plenty of time to track down the rival gang at a time when there wouldn't be as many people around.

As they soared over the black waves, reflecting the glittering night life of the Boardwalk, their senses pulled them to the carousel. There were still many people about, but that fact didn't seem to bother the Lost Boys. They made their way onto the carousel (which was already in motion), purposely heading towards their target. David led, followed by Dwayne, Paul and finally Marko.

They were in good spirits, even before they spotted the Surf-Nazi's clustered around one of the seats. They weren't going to kill them here and now in front of all these people; they just needed to get them pissed off enough to come after them later.

David pierced Greg's "girl" with his cerulean blue stare, making his way over to her. Greg didn't even seem to notice they were there, until David cupped the girl's face; as Greg did to Star. As soon as Greg and the other Surf-Nazi's realised what was happening, a fight broke out. David leapt forward and grabbed Greg's face until he felt something constrict against his neck and pull him backwards.

"I told you to stay off the Boardwalk." The man holding him said.

None of the boys could believe the same security guard was going to prevent them getting revenge on the Surf Nazis, yet again. David knew they weren't going to be able to either, with him around. They didn't usually kill familiar faces or authority figures, as it raised too many suspicions. However, this second interference signed the guard's death warrant.

"...okay boys, let's go."

David smirked a little. The security guard let go of his baton, releasing David from his grip. David turned to Greg and gave him a sly wink and then retreated with the rest of the boys. As he walked away he heard the guard telling the Surf-Nazi's to get off the Boardwalk too. He smiled once more as he got down off the still moving carousel. The security guard wasn't the only one to ban the gangs from the Boardwalk, and he wouldn't be the last, but neither gang paid any attention.

The boys waited for the Boardwalk to be closed for the night, and for the crowds to dissipate. They flew in as the lights were turned off and saw the security guard walking toward his car. They whooped as they knew he would never make it to his car.

0Oo

Star woke up a few hours later and found Laddie on his bed; fast asleep with a comic book over his face. The pages rustled with every breath he let out, which made her smile. She stretched her back and ran her fingers through her hair. The nausea and dizziness were gone, and her head felt a lot clearer. The sound of the waves crashing seemed louder than usual, until she realised it was the call of the blood-lust pumping in her ears. Star raced towards where the blood bottles were kept and downed as much as possible without choking.

She couldn't gulp it fast enough and soon blood was trickling down the corners of her mouth and neck. Her breath shallow, she wiped her mouth on the back of her hand and tried to regain her composure. Hearing the boys returning, she placed the empty bottle back where it belonged.

"Have fun?" Star asked, regretting her question when she saw the defeated looks upon their faces. David stormed past her, and she looked back at the others for an explanation.

"What happened?"

"That fucking security guard is what happened!" yelled David from across the room.

"Which security guard?"

"The one from last night." explained Dwayne calmly.

"You're joking? So what about the Surf-Nazis?"

"They're still around. For now." replied Marko, glumly.

David punched the nearest wall and then headed through the tunnel that led to his thinking place. Dwayne moved to follow him, but Star blocked his path.

"I'll get him. You get some sleep." She sighed.

Paul and Marko headed towards the chamber where they slept. Dwayne took the comic book from a sleeping Laddie, carried him to his bed and covered him with his blanket. She smiled as Dwayne approached her, placed his hand on her shoulder and whispered.

"Not long until the Sun comes up. Good luck." before following Paul and Marko.

Star made her way through the hidden passage to David's thinking place upon the jagged rocks, where the sea spray hit you every time the waves crashed against the cliffs. He was sitting lower down than usual, staring hard into the water. She sat next to him watching him sadly. She looked down at his gloveless hands and noticed blood trickling between his fingers from where he had punched the wall.

"Your hand is bleeding..." She informed him.

His features softened a little as he nodded. Star ripped a length of material from the bottom of her skirt and carefully wrapped it around his hand. It would be fully healed by tonight, but that was not the point of the action. He placed his right hand on top of hers and looked down at his left hand, now wrapped in the glittery material which had been ripped from her skirt and smirked, while allowing a chuckle to escape his throat. She smiled back at him sadly.

"Why are you taking this so personally?" She asked him.

"It is personal. You're one of us, Star, and they hurt you. They need to— "

" —so if it was one of the boys, you'd be this pissed?"

"Of course."

"And you'd keep them here like invalids?"

Star-"

"No, David! You really insulted me tonight. I know you like me to play 'Damsel in distress_'_ for the masses, and that it gives you some kind of kick to be my dark knight or whatever, but that's not who I am. I don't need you to fight my battles for me."

"Right, cause the fight with your family went so well." He retorted.

Star glared at him darkly. He was challenging her again, testing her loyalty. She would have left him there if the Sun wasn't threatening them from the horizon. Plus it would mean that she was giving in to him and she would not give him the satisfaction of winning yet another tug-of-war of their personalities.

"I'm sorry." He whispered, so quiet that his voice became lost in the wind.

This confused her. David never apologised, it just wasn't in his nature. For the briefest moment, Star saw a flash of fear in his eyes, like he thought she had meant that she didn't need _him_. However, the memory of that blood-lust taking her over - not moments before the boys had returned, the fear that she wouldn't be able to make it stop by herself. She knew that wasn't true. She did need him. She needed him to ground her and prevent her from making hasty decision which always seemed to get her into trouble.

"The Gypsies always taught me that family was everything. That no matter what happened, I would always have them to come back to. I hated it. I wanted to be free, to stand up for myself, not rely on anyone, be independent. I despised not being able to I'm not used to having people look out for me the way you guys do. It sounds really stupid, but I don't think I knew what a family was until I came here." He rolled his eyes at her, shook his head and yawned.

"Come on, let's go inside. Almost sunrise."

Once they had returned to the main chamber, Star stopped David from heading to the boys' room.

"Wait. Could you stay with me?"

"Why?"

"I had a really bad hunger pang just before you came back. It scared me, David. I don't want to be on my own with Laddie."

"What happened to being independent?" he smirked. She hit him playfully on the arm.

"I think I could suffer one more night of being your distressed damsel."

He pushed her down gently onto the bed, and kissed her teasingly along her neck, his stubble brushing against her skin. She wrapped her arms around him and laid her head on his chest, drifting into sleep as the sun rose.

"Star?" David whispered in her ear.

"Hmm?"

"Why don't you take Laddie out tonight? Have fun, just the two of you."

"Don't you mean with one of you following my every move?"

"No."

"So where will you be?"

"I need to go and see a friend. He might be able to help us with the Surf-Nazis."

"Okay..." She wanted to ask more about this 'friend," but sleep already had a hold of her.

oOo

It was late when Star woke up. The boys had left her a note saying that they'd gone and if she, and Laddie wanted to meet up with them later; they'd be waiting by the entrance to the Boardwalk. Star rarely went out without at least one of the boys by her side, so she intended to make the most of it.

They walked leisurely to the edge of the beach, and fed on a couple of homeless guys under the pier. The alcohol in their blood burned through her veins, making her feel dopey. Hearing music, in the distance, coming from the open-air concert, she felt a sudden urge to dance. Star took Laddie by the hand, and skipped towards the music in a hazy stupor.

They reached the crowd around the stage, and holding tightly onto Laddie's hand Star danced through the warm bodies surrounding her, to get a better view. They laughed and danced along to the music with the crowd until Star felt eyes scrutinizing her. She scanned the people below and noticed a boy staring at her and for all intents and purposes; had his tongue hanging out. Star ignored him and went back to dancing. She was used to these kinds of looks, especially when luring food for the boys. Star felt his stare upon her, feeling unnerved; she glanced back, but not out of interest in him. She could feel her blood-lust rising again.

_Oh no, not here! I've just fed; I can't still be hungry?_

But no matter how much she argued with herself, the craving just wouldn't die down. She needed to get out of there fast. Laddie tugged gently on her hand, noticing her distress.

"Star? Are you okay?" She shook her head. Remembering the boys' note telling her where they would be waiting for them, she gestured to Laddie to move, and they disappeared into the crowds.

oOo

"Are you sure she'll be okay on her own?" Marko asked David as they pulled up in front of the video store.

"I hope so. I can't bring her to see Max yet. He wants her to gain more control before she learns about him."

The boys entered the store in their arrogant way, earning them a growl from Thorn, Max's hound. As they made their way to their usual talking place, however, David was annoyed to find Max in deep conversation with a woman who had just walked in asking about a lost kid. His frustrations mounted when he found the boys - Paul, in particular - flirting with Maria. He approached Max, the boys following behind.

**David: **Max, we need to talk.

**Max:** Not now, can't you see I'm busy?

"I told you not to come in here any more."

Max answered simultaneously, telepathically and verbally. David looked at the lady Max was "flirting" with and then smirked at Max. He could hear Paul sniggering behind him and thought it best to leave and come back later before Max got too angry.

They rode to the entrance of the Boardwalk; the place they said they would meet up with Star. He doubted she would have passed up a chance to spend a night without them, so they got comfortable and waited for her arrival.

oOo

_Please stop following me..._

She silently begged the shadow she had gained since leaving the concert. Star could hear his pulse, pounding in her head and a red mist hazing her mind. It cleared as the Surf-Nazis barged past her. Enough was enough, she decided and turned around to face her stalker. Maybe if she killed this guy, she wouldn't have to worry about getting hunger pangs later.

"Are you following me?" Star asked him, smirking.

"Yeah, I am." He replied. At least, he was honest.

"Did you wanna talk to me?" Laddie was looking up at him, curiously.

"Yeah, I do."

"Well talk." She smiled, sweetly at him.

"How are you?" Before she could answer, a kid - his brother, she assumed - with a weird fashion sense walked up to her stalker.

"Mom's here." He said, without taking his eyes off her.

_Great, a family outing_.

It was definitely time to get out of there and back to the boys.

"Was nice talking..." She said before leaving.

The crowds eventually thinned as they found themselves at the entrance to the Boardwalk, and Star noticed the boys all ready waiting for her. She suddenly felt a stab of guilt for letting her hunger spill out yet again. David immediately picked up on the residual panic she was giving off and nodded in her direction.

**David:** What's wrong?

**Star:** Nothing. I'm just tired. Can we go home now?

**David:** Sure...get on.

She got on wearily behind David and wrapped her arms around him in anticipation of the speed with which they would leave the Boardwalk. However, the boys were busy looking at something behind her.

**Marko:** What is his problem?

Star turned around to see who he was referring to, and her eyes met with her stalker and his brother. David studied the newcomer with interest.

**Star: **Oh no!

**David: **Who is he, Star?

**Star:** I don't know. Just some guy.

**Laddie: **He was watching Star at the concert.

**Dwayne: **Look out, Star's caught another one!

**Star:** Shut up!

Star felt her cheeks redden and grow hot. Her embarrassment of being a lure had always amused them. They sniggered as they watched the boy's interest change from lust to disappointment, and then sped off into the night. Star couldn't help, but glance back at him as she heard her dead heart beating in her head. It wasn't out of curiosity, nor love, but hunger.

The ride back to the cave was spent trying to control her hunger, but as soon as they got inside she lost the battle. She fell to the floor, body shaking and joints seizing.

"Bring her over here!" David yelled to Dwayne, who carefully picked up the writhing Star, and laid her down on the couch.

"You want me to get her a bottle?" asked Marko.

"No. Bottled blood isn't going to do it this time."

David removed his left glove and severed a vein in his wrist, then held his wrist over Star's mouth. Her body convulsed in his arms, and she jerked her head away from his wrist.

"Come on, Star. Drink." She gently took his wrist and closed her mouth over the blood flow. Her strength slowly returning, she drank deeper, biting down savagely and making David cry out.

"Star, stop!" The more he struggled; however, the harder Star would bite and grab onto his arm. Unable to take any more, he knocked her out with his other hand.

"Dude, what the hell was that?" asked Paul in utter bewilderment as he watched David try to repair the damage done to his shredded arm. He sighed as he tried to think of the easiest way to explain to them what had happened.

"She was turning feral. That's what they do. The need to feed overwhelms them so much that they don't care what it is they're feeding on. Human, animal, mortal, immortal, it doesn't matter."

"Then how do we stop it?" Marko asked.

"First we need to get her to feed on fresh blood."

"How do you plan on doing that if she's not stable enough to hunt?" Dwayne queried.

"We're going to have to get her take-out."

The boys circled the night sky for easy prey and what prey they did find. Greg and Shelly had ditched the rest of the Surf-Nazi's after being chased by those two dorks from the comic book store. They didn't understand what they were so pissed about; it was only a couple of stupid comics.

Shelly had picked up a random comic and was now laughing her head off in the back of Greg's car. Greg had other things in mind, that didn't involve the comics, and it was irritating her. However, as she tried to get back into her comic, she heard a loud scraping noise.

"What was that?" she asked Greg.

"What was what?"

"I though I heard something."

"Forget it— "

The next thing Shelly knew, the roof of the car was violently discarded, and Greg was lifted into the night air. She was able to scream one last time before she too was carried away into the night, but she wouldn't live as long as Greg.

"Do you remember me, Greg?" David asked in a sinister voice as he entered the closed-off chamber where they had dumped Greg's body.

"What do you want? Please, don't kill me!"

"Oh I'm not going to kill you, Greg. She is..."

"What?"

David left the chamber and replaced the barrier to stop anything from escaping, save Greg's cries.

"What's going on? Don't leave me here!"

His eyes adjusted slowly to the dim light of the room. In the far corner, he saw a female form, and he approached it carefully.

"Shelly? That you? What have they done to— " Before he could finish his question, the form leapt at him with the face of a monster and fangs sinking deep into his neck.

"That should keep her busy for a while." Paul laughed at the sound of Greg's terrified screams.

"I'm going out to see that friend..." David murmured, wary of Laddie watching him curiously. He left without another word.


	7. A Man About A Dog

_**A/N: **_Thank you to everyone following this story, it means a lot.

_**Disclaimer: **_I do not own the song _Supervixen_, that belongs to the wonderful Garbage.

* * *

_**A Man About A Dog**_

* * *

Max was already waiting for him when he got to the house.

"I thought it was urgent, David."

"It is."

"Well, what is it?"

"I want to get rid of the Surf-Nazi's."

"And you come to me with this, why?"

"I thought I had better warn you that you're about to have a load of bodies on your hands."

"I'd hope you'd be more discreet than that, David." Max frowned at him.

"Sure."

"Well, now that we've got that out of the way, I'm glad you stopped by because I have some news to tell you. That woman you saw in the video store."

"What of her?" David asked, not liking where the conversation was heading.

"I'm going to turn her."

"Say that again?"

"I think you boys could do with a mother's influence. Lucy is the perfect woman for the job. She's kind, caring, generous—"

"—Max; I don't think— "

" —I don't care what you think! You don't judge me, David. I am Head of this family, not you. You do as _I_ say. Is that in any way unclear?"

"No, sir."

"Good. I'm going to need your help."

"To do what?"

"To lure Lucy. She has two sons. I figure if we get them to join the family first, then there is no way she can refuse. Start with the eldest, Michael. He looks about your age, so should be easy enough for Star to wield her charms on him."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, who said anything about using Star?"

"I did, just now."

"Star is mine. I don't like using her as bait."

"You've never minded before."

"That was different. That was for meals. Besides, she's still having trouble controlling her urges, Max. Tonight she almost went feral."

"You bought her back?"

"Of course I did."

"Good, then this should be a good challenge to see if she's worthy to join the family."

"She is— "

" —I'm glad we're in agreement."

"Max, too much responsibility so soon could tip her over the edge."

"Weren't you the one trying to convince me how strong she is? What an asset she'd be to our pack?"

"Yes— "

" —and did I doubt you in any way over your judgement?"

"No, you didn't, but— "

"Then why do you doubt mine over Lucy?"

"I don't."

"Good. You have your orders. See that they are carried out."

"Sure..."

oOo

Star had bled Greg dry, and now she felt better than she had in a long while. Leaving the body, she followed the sound of raised voices coming from the main cavern. Dwayne and Laddie were reading comics, and Paul and Marko were fighting over the station Paul's rock-box should be on.

"Bud, it's my rock-box and I say we're listening to this!"

"I'm so glad to see that my breakdown hasn't seriously affected any of you!" She laughed.

"STAR!" Laddie rushed over to her, and she embraced him tightly.

"It was close this time." Dwayne whispered in her ear as he hugged her.

"I know. I felt it. Where's David?"

"He went out; he'll be back soon."

"Well, why don't we start without him? Paul, turn the music up!"

"Now you're talking!" Paul grinned as he turned the volume knob as far as it would go, making the dust and debris around us pulsate.

They danced for hours in the flickering light from the oil drums. About two hours from sunrise and David still hadn't returned. Star was exhausted, and poor little Laddie could barely keep his eyes open. She put him to bed and tucked him in with her old teddy bear that he loved so much. She was about to return to the boys when she felt a tug at her skirt. It was Laddie, staring at her with sleepy eyes.

"What is it?" She asked, kneeling in front of the bed and taking his hand.

"That boy at the Boardwalk."

"What about him, sweetheart?"

"His brother had a comic..." He yawned, barely able to stay awake long enough to finish his sentence. "It was about vampires..."

"That's nice." She smiled, kissed him on his forehead and left him to sleep, making her way to the main cavern to see what mischief the boys had gotten into while she had been gone.

Paul was strumming away on his air guitar, while Dwayne complained to him that it was out of tune. Reclining on the love-seat, she laughed as Paul pretended to smash the guitar over Dwayne's head. Marko returned from tending to the few pigeons that hadn't fled from the loud music and Paul's off-key singing, and sat next to her.

"Are you feeling better now?" he asked reluctantly, as if he expected her to break down again just from his asking.

"Yeah."

"Good. We were really worried about you."

"That's sweet." Star yawned and rested her head on his lap. Before she knew it, she was fast asleep.

David returned a little while after Star had fallen asleep.

"How is she?"

"Asleep." Whispered Marko, gesturing to the sleeping Star on his lap, whose hair he had been stroking. David smiled, then sighed as he steeled himself for what he had to tell them.

"Max wants to extend the family."

"With who?" asked Marko.

"The woman from the video store and her kids."

"_And_ her kids? What's he been smoking?" Paul laughed.

"He's in _love_." scowled David. "He thinks that the best way to lure this woman is to initiate her kids into the pack first. And for that he wants to use Star."

"And you told him where to go, right?" asked Paul.

"How would I have done that, when he was the one who agreed that I could have Star in the first place? You know how he feels about gypsies. Now I've got to figure out how I'm going to tell Star, _without_ telling her about Max."

"Good luck with that, bud!" said Paul, putting away his rock-box and heading for the boys' room. Marko gently roused Star and followed Dwayne to their room.

"You were gone a long time. You missed the party."

"I'm sorry about that, but I needed to be on my own for a bit." He lied.

"David? What is it?"

"Star, I need you to do something for me."

"What?"

"That guy from the concert, the one that was staring at you."

"What about him?"

"I want him to join us."

"Why him?"

"Star, don't argue with me."

"I'm not arguing; I just asked a perfectly reasonable question."

"He took an interest in you."

"So do lots of guys, but you've never wanted them to join us before. What makes him so special?"

"I think he could be a good addition to our pack." He had spoken the words with conviction, but something about the way he said them hadn't sounded right.

"Based on what, David? You don't even know the guy's name!"

"Do you want me to stay with you again?" he asked, ignoring her protests.

"Are you pulling rank on me?" She asked suspiciously. He narrowed his eyes at her, and she sighed in defeat.

"No, I think I'll be all right."

"Good girl. I'll see you tonight, then."

David left for his own room, leaving Star to wonder what the hell had just happened. She got the gist of what it was he wanted her to do, but he hadn't actually asked her to do it. It was like he was scared to say the words. If so, then why did he want her to do it?

Star lay down on her bed and began to replay their conversation, listening for any minute detail she might have missed. Any kind of fluctuation in his speech or intonations. There wasn't of course. David was as unreadable as ever, and it wasn't long before she had fallen asleep.

* * *

A few hours later Star woke in a cold sweat. Hunger was calling to yet again. However, it seemed to be getting fainter, which she hoped meant that her full vampire strength was finally taking hold.

Wrapping herself tightly in her shawl, she danced past pools of sunlight and made her way to David's room at the other end of the cave. She pulled back the dusty old blankets and got in beside him. When he stirred, Star kissed him gently on the cheek.

"Fine. I'll do it, but I'm not happy about it." She whispered in his ear.

"Thank you." He whispered back.

He turned over, wrapping his arms around her and pressed his lips against her forehead. As she closed her eyes, she could have sworn she heard him sigh. She couldn't work out if it was a sigh of relief or regret, or whether she had imagined it completely.

oOo

The rules were as follows. One; find this "Michael Emerson," two; engage him in friendly conversation and finally three; bring him to meet the boys. It sounded simple, but as Star left David's side, the sound of throbbing veins and blood pumping amplified, was making her feel nauseous. It was so hard to concentrate on Michael's heartbeat alone. She took in a breath and closed her eyes, concentrating her energy. There he was over by the ear-piercing stand.

_Great. __That __will __make __my __blood-lust __die __down!_

_There __has __to __be __a __way __to __get __him __away __from __there._

She thought to herself; she would never be able to think straight if she didn't. Forcing her most seductive tone, she made her way over to him.

"It's a rip-off." Star whispered in his ear, quickly turned and walked away, hoping he'd follow. She felt his puppy-dog eyes boring into her back.

*_Sigh*_

OK_, __now __you've __hooked __him, __better __think __of __something __to __reel __him __in __with._

"If you want your ear pierced, I'll do it."

"What's your name?" He asked.

"Star." She replied absently. Maybe if she could get him away from the crowds...she could...what?

_So __hungry..._

"Oh, your folks too, huh?" he sniggered.

"What do you mean?" She challenged, momentarily forgetting what they had been talking about.

It was no good. The hunger was overriding her concentration on the task at hand. She tried taking a deep breath, but the smell of blood from freshly pierced ears and veins that were throbbing all around her wasn't helping.

"Ex-hippies..."

Feeling his words become muffled and then dissipate entirely; she turned to face him, but all she could think of was how good his neck looked and whether all these people on the Boardwalk would really care if she just snacked on him here and now. They'd seen weirder things, right?

"...but Star's great. I like Star."

"Me too."

oOo

David looked over to where Star was luring Michael. He was on his fifth cigarette since leaving her to find him, and now that she had, he was more concerned than ever. He'd watched her preparing for her battle against her hunger, despite having drunk enough blood that evening to see any of the boys through a couple of days. It was a battle that she was losing, and it terrified him.

There were strict rules among the vampire populous about feral vampires. If they could not be brought back, they were to be killed. Not out of respect for mortals, but because they were a danger to all vampires and drew too much attention to their kind.

_Damn, Max!_

He was sure that with rest and careful monitoring (that she would protest against), Star would be perfectly fine within the week. This was a strain upon their family, that none of them needed, least of all Star.

**Marko:** She's losing it, David.

**David:** I know she is.

**Paul: **So what do we do?

**David: **We intervene.

oOo

"Michael's great, I like Michael."

"Wanna get something to eat?"

_YES!_

"Okay."

Star thought her head had exploded when she heard the bikes approaching, because it sounded more like her hunger spilling out. Marko and Paul were behind her with smirks on their faces, and Star had to restrain herself from grinning back. Dwayne blocked Michael's exit.

**Paul: **Shit, girl, you're in trouble now.

Paul's voice entered her head. She was about to ask why when David pulled up alongside with a look of thunder on his face. She knew he wasn't happy about the seduction aspect of this plan, but she hadn't even done anything yet.

"Where you going, Star?" Was what came out of his mouth, but his head was screaming...

**David:** Just what the hell do you think you're doing?

**Star:** What you asked me to do.

**David: **I asked you to lure him, not feed on him!

_FUCK!_

"For a ride." She replied, in defiance of what David was telling her. "This is Michael." Michael, not knowing the real reason Star tensed up, pushed further.

"Let's go." He took Star's hand and sneered at David. Right now, she didn't know who she was pissed off at more. She knew David could be cruel, but denying her food when it was right within her reach was just plain mean. She was hungry, and this plan was stupid.

**Star:** David, this is a really dumb idea! So yeah I lure him, then what? _Oh, __by __the __way, __these __are __my __friends __and __my __possessive __boyfriend, __and __also __we're __vampires, __would __you __like __to __join __us?_

"Star?" David gave her a warning look.

She knew when not to push him, and this was one of those times. Letting go of Michael's hand, she got on behind David. Paul was laughing at her defiant statement, and Marko was having a hard time keeping a straight face. Dwayne was as ever, impassive. David gave Michael a triumphant smile.

"You know where Hudson's Bluff is, overlooking the point?" He challenged.

"I can't beat your bike." Michael replied, dejectedly.

"You don't have to beat me Michael. You just have to try and keep up."

They sped off into the night, whooping and cheering and racing across the beach, weaving between scattered groups of people with Michael bringing up the rear.

_Come __down __to __my __house, __stick __a __stone __in __your __mouth.  
__You __can __always __pull __out __if __you __like __it __too __much_

Supervixen – Garbage

As they drew closer to the cliffs, the boys dropped back, allowing Michael to claw his way to the front until he was neck and neck with David, who was egging him on. Although Star knew it was one of his tests, she rather hoped that David had miscalculated, and they would get to see Michael drive off the cliff. No such luck. Getting off the bike, she was just in time to see Michael swing for David. He took the punch, but that didn't stop her from screaming, nor the boys from holding Michael back. It was tough for any of us to keep a straight face with Michael challenging David to a fight.

_It __is __hard __to __resist, __and __I __never __miss  
__I __can __take __you __out __with __just __a __flick __of __my __wrist_

Supervixen – Garbage

David only grinned and asked him "how far he was willing to go."

_And __I'll __feed __your __obsession.  
__The __fallen __star __that __you __cannot __live __without  
__I __will __be __your __religion.  
__This __thing __you'll __never __doubt  
__You're __not __the __only __one.  
__You're __not __the __only __one  
__Bow __down __to __me..._

Supervixen - Garbage

They brought Michael to the cave. He clung to Star's side, while Dwayne lit the oil drums and Paul turned on his rock-box. As David gave Michael the history of the cave, Star mentally communicated with Marko, and together they surveyed Michael's reactions with interest.

**Star: **I don't know how long I can keep up this act.

**Marko: **We've noticed. What was that back at the Boardwalk? Shooting your mouth off at David? What were you thinking?

**Star: **Excuse me for being touchy when I'm hungry and food is dangled in front of her face then taken away.

Star replied irritably, and Marko smirked.

**Marko: **David will be asking me to get food in a minute; you want anything?

**Star: **No way, I know what you have planned! I'll get something later.

He winked and moved towards his pigeons, waiting for the signal from David.

"Marko, food." Marko left silently. David turned back to Michael, triumphantly. "That's what I love about this place. You ask and then you get..." Paul handed David a joint, who passed it to Michael.

Star moved behind the lace curtain that separated her sleeping quarters from the main room. Sitting down on the bed, she tried to sigh her negativity away. There was something about all this that didn't feel right.


	8. Feeding Time

**Disclaimer:_ I don't own the Lost Boys or the song Amsterdam that honour belongs to WB and Coldplay respectively._**

**A/N: _I'm so sorry this took so long to write, sometimes the characters just don't do as they're told, do they? Also distractions in RL have been keeping me away – Don't worry, I haven't forgotten this story, or my readers! :)_**

_**I want to thank everybody who has left reviews, follows and/or added this story to their favourites. You guys are awesome and I hope you enjoy this latest instalment!**_

* * *

_**Feeding Time**_

* * *

Marko came back with Chinese, which worried Star even more about the games they were bound to play with Michael. She didn't find these games funny at the best of times, but it felt as though they were deliberately prolonging her irritability of having Michael here. As she wrapped her grandmother's shawl tighter around her shoulders, she realised that her usual laid-back temperament seemed to be dissolving into a particularly contentious mood tonight.

Marko handed David the first carton, who after inspecting its contents offered it to Michael, making some lame joke when he declined. As he accepted the proffered carton, Michael's eyes searched for hers, like he was asking for permission. She stared back blankly, waiting for the inevitable.

"How are those maggots?" David asked him, flatly.

_Here __we __go._

They all burst into laughter as Michael threw the carton on the floor, spitting out all that was in his mouth.

"Leave him alone." She pleaded, not for Michael's sake but for hers. They could be here all night if the boys had their way.

**Star: **David, get on with it. I know you're only giving him a hard time for liking me. I'm not going to stand here all night playing voice of reason.

He gave a slight nod in her direction in acknowledgement, before turning back to Michael.

"Sorry about that. No hard feelings, huh?"

"No." Michael shook his head, figuring it must have been the joint that had brought on an over-active imagination.

"Why don't you try some noodles?" David asked, offering Michael his own carton.

Star rolled her eyes as the boys dissolved into giggles again. How much longer were they going to be? She felt her impatience growing and resisted the urge to grab the carton from David and dump the contents onto his head. Although that could encourage a food fight, considering the mischievous mood the boys were in tonight.

"That's enough." She sighed.

"Aw chill out, girl." Paul grinned at her. She shot him a look, but he was busy downing the contents of what was left in his own carton. David signalled Marko, and asked him to get his "wine."

Remembering the first time she felt that ruby liquid, coursing its way down her throat; Star felt a flash of fear.

Something was wrong.

The memory of her first drink had brought on another hunger pang and suddenly the despair of losing Michael as potential prey seemed more than she could bear. In her rational mind she knew it was absurd to challenge David over Michael; still her pangs were not coming from her rational mind.

Star trailed behind Marko, who handed the bejewelled bottle to David. Michael looked up at her as she approached, curious as to what was going on now. The rest of the boys were grinning in anticipation, and Star tried to regain her composure as David made a big show of opening the bottle and taking a swig. He offered the bottle to Michael.

"Drink some of this, Michael. Be one of us."

As those words echoed inside her head, and Michael made his way over to David, unable to take his eyes off the bottle; Star realised she had to stop him from drinking it. If he became one of them, she would lose him. He was her kill, damn it! She had lured him, stalked him, gained his trust. All memory of David asking her to lure Michael had been erased by bloodlust, and all that remained was the fact that these..._rivals;_ were standing between her and her prey.

Realising that Star was losing control, Laddie scrambled his way over to her as Paul, Dwayne and Marko began chanting Michael's name in a bid to release her hold on him.

"Don't! You don't have to, Michael." She whispered into his ear.

"Michael..." David's hypnotic voice, resonated throughout the room. Her grasp on Michael was stronger than he expected, and he hadn't counted on her losing control yet again.

Once a connection had been established between predator and prey, it was hard to transfer that connection when one of the participants was unwilling to let go. He ordered the boys to intensify their chant as he mentally wrestled with Star for control over Michael's will.

"It's blood."

She murmured, hoping the truth would shock him into thinking twice, even if he didn't believe her. However, after the mind games David had been playing with him earlier, Michael's mind found it easier to block Star out and allow David in.

As the boys cheered at Michael joining their ranks, Laddie pulled Star away from the celebrations and led her to her bed, trying to calm her down.

* * *

Before David left with the boys for the second part of Michael's initiation, he checked in with Star; who was lying on her bed breathing heavily and clenching her fists. Laddie kept watch over her, worry etched over his face.

"You need to sort this out, Star." He declared firmly, feeling his residual anger towards Max seep into every word.

"Take Laddie: hunt, kill, feed, I don't know just..." He trailed off, remembering who he was really angry with.

He didn't know how to keep her under control any more. When it was Dwayne; he had Max, and they found a way to bring him back. However, with Max's mind on other things it was left to David. He had tried asking Dwayne if he had any ideas that could help her, but Dwayne's memory of that time was hazy and the only thing he remembered was the hunger.

"...just keep away from us tonight." David walked out before Star could reply or protest.

oOo

Once Star felt more in control of herself, she set out with Laddie. Standing at the mouth of the cave, she sniffed the air to make sure she went in the opposite direction the boys went. They were heading to the train tracks, which meant the beach and Boardwalk would be forbidden. The restaurant and pier would be closed by now, so there was little point in going in that direction.

* * *

_Come on, oh my star is fading  
And I swerve out of control  
If I, if I'd only waited  
I'd not be stuck here in this hole_

_ Amsterdam – Coldplay_

* * *

Deciding that the town was the better option, she and Laddie made their way to the nearest park, feeding on a couple of bums sleeping on the benches. As she stared into the lifeless eyes of her victim, face frozen in terror; Star wondered how long the blood would sustain her for this time.

It was beginning to scare her how little an effect it had on her. At first, she thought it might have been normal, or something to do with her refusing the change for so long; however, the fearful looks on the boys' faces every time she lost control soon caused her to think otherwise.

Marko had assured her after she had made her first kill, that the need to feed every night dwindled. Nevertheless, she had waited only to find that need increasing, and she had to keep feeding just to stay sane. Some nights were worse than others and on those nights, she feared sleeping next that little boy, who rarely left her side.

* * *

_Come here, oh my star is fading  
And I swerve out of control  
And I swear I waited and waited  
I've got to get out of this hole_

_ Amsterdam – Coldplay_

* * *

For lately, the most terrible thoughts had crept into her mind about easy it would be to just...

_NO!_

She would lie awake, shaking; reassuring herself that she would never...

_Don'tthinkaboutit...don'tthinkaboutit..._

But think about it, she did, as her predatory nature overwhelmed the part of her that considered Laddie a friend. At those times, she would join the boys in the back chamber far from temptation.

_How __long __before __I __have __to __hide __away __from __them __too?_

She wondered, deciding instantly that she'd had enough of being captive to her own cravings. All she needed was a little self-control.

* * *

_But time is on your side  
It's on your side now  
Not pushing you down and all around  
It's no cause for concern_

_ Amsterdam – Coldplay_

* * *

Once they returned to the cave; Star put Laddie to bed, before mentally connecting with the boys. This would be her first test to see if she could just watch without the pressure of her other senses interfering, and making it harder for her to concentrate. Part of her worried about whether it was a good idea to test her inner strength without the boys around to prevent her from harming Laddie; she wouldn't listen to that part of her tonight. Tonight she would prove to herself and to the boys just how strong she could be.

oOo

David led the boys towards the final part of Michael's initiation. He had no doubt in his mind about where he would rather be; practically anywhere other than trying to help his leader score with a mortal. He was sure that Max would never put it that way, but right now he didn't care. Max's arrogance was pushing them further apart; however, David still couldn't bring himself to challenge Max over his decision.

It was a hard thing for the bad boy of Santa Carla to admit; he was scared. If it went on any further, he would have no problem fighting Max for leadership of the Lost Boys. That was what he told himself, but deep down, he wasn't so sure.

This wasn't just some vampire invading their territory; this was Max. Although he didn't look like it, he was the most powerful vampire on the West Coast. Despite David's reputation around Santa Carla, he doubted he'd be strong enough to take Max on.

David was in an impossible situation. He wanted to help Star; however, it seemed that, for the time being, she was on her own. David could only hope that she was strong enough to wait for a while longer, until he could figure out a way to pull himself and his boys from under Max's thumb.

* * *

_Come on, oh my star is fading  
And I see no chance of release  
And I know I'm dead on the surface  
But I am screaming underneath_

_ Amsterdam – Coldplay_

* * *

A thought occurred to him.

Perhaps he could use Michael to his own advantage. Max had been pushing them around for far too long. If he could get Michael on side and plant doubts in his head about Max...

"Come with us, Michael..." he invited, as he followed the others below the train tracks.

Mind games had always been David's speciality, and Michael was just so desperate to be accepted by them. Not only, to be close to Star, that was just a bonus; he needed – and this made David laugh – he needed the security of being accepted by _dangerous_ friends like themselves.

David recognised it as a phase, but his motives didn't matter to him, all that mattered was that Michael served his purpose to keep David's family safe from whatever scheme Max was planning.

* * *

_And time is on your side  
It's on your side now  
Not pushing you down, and all around  
No it's no cause for concern_

_ Amsterdam - Coldplay_

* * *

David hung from the trestle with the boys, waiting for Michael to join them. He carefully slid down to the space that David had reserved for him, and looked at him inquisitively – wondering what the hell they were doing.

"Fun, huh?"

As the train rapidly approached, David ordered Michael to hold on. The boys enjoyed the rush of hanging from the bridge being shaken by a train moving full speed; however, it didn't seem as much fun to David as it usually did.

The promise Max made to him long ago of being able to party all night and do whatever he liked, was now looking even more like a lie used to lure him in. More and more responsibility had been piled on top of David lately. He resented not being able to enjoy being a vampire without some rule or ritual getting in the way.

* * *

_Stuck on the end of this ball and chain  
And I'm on my way back down again  
Stood on a bridge, tied to the noose  
Sick to the stomach_

_ Amsterdam – Coldplay_

* * *

David's mind began to stray to the night that he met Star. He had envied her light and how free she seemed, despite being tied down to the gypsy life she clearly disliked. Star made a fine trophy for any man to possess and somehow through capturing her; he had found that freedom for himself, but consequently, had imprisoned her further.

* * *

_You can say what you mean  
But it won't change a sin  
I'm sick of the secrets  
Stood on the edge, tied to the noose_

_You came along and you cut me loose...  
Amsterdam - Coldplay_

* * *

"You are one of us, Michael." David said finally, before letting go and disappearing in the fog beneath with Michael's screams following him down.

This would be the ultimate test of the power of David's mind control. If Michael 'trusted' him enough to let go, then David would know he had the power to make Michael instinctively doubt anything Max tried to plant in his head. Which would make Michael a very powerful weapon.

Once they had reached the ground, the boys cheered; a sign for Michael that they hadn't all fallen to their deaths. With that and David's hypnotic voice pulling him down, Michael let go.

* * *

Michael's presence every night started to introduce a strain on the pack that had been alien to them before now, even Paul's playful attitude became forced. The effort of making Michael feel welcome and allowing him limited access to Star, to keep him interested was destroying them. None of them were happy, least of all – Star and David.

Michael wasn't as dumb as he looked, either. He could sense that there was something not quite right and a certain tension in the air every time David saw him with Star. Still, a little voice in his head – _David's voice – _was telling him that this was just because Star was desperate to escape from them. Michael wanted to save her, but right now he was at a loss as to how to go about it. Especially, as they were rarely afforded a moment alone together.

oOo

"Things are moving too slowly, David." Max grudgingly admitted.

The sun had not long set, and he had called David over to see how he was progressing with inducting Michael into the family. He was not happy to learn that a week after Michael had drunk from the bottle, he still wasn't enlightened about what they were.

"Too slowly? You haven't even been out with the woman yet."

"Patience has never been one of my virtues." Max chuckled. "I'm taking her out for dinner tonight."

David's eyebrows rose.

"Relax, I meant dinner in a restaurant. I think in spite of the way things are going, we can afford to kick the seduction up a notch."

"I don't need to know about what you plan to do with her."

"Too right you don't; besides I was talking about Michael and Star."

David's lips pressed in a tight line, forcing himself to calm down as he said his next words carefully through gritted teeth.

"There is no Michael and Star."

"There will be. Lust clouds issues, but I find sex complicates matters even further; don't you think so?"

David was now visibly shaking with anger. There was a faint creak of leather as he clenched his hands into fists. Max eyed him carefully, waiting to see if he would explode and refuse to have anything more to do with the whole thing.

"And just how am I supposed to convince her that I'm okay with her having sex with Michael."

"I'm sure you'll find a way. Now if you don't mind, David, I have a date to get ready for."

David was shooed out of Max's front door before he could ask any more questions. He was about to kick the door in frustration, when he saw Max's dog, Thorn, eyeing him with a bemused expression. David snarled at him in response, then took off into the air.

Flying back to the cave, David realised that he still hadn't been able to apologise to Star for being so distant, and now he was going to have to convince her that for the good of the pack, she was going to have to...

He couldn't bring himself to think it, let alone say it.

What possible explanation could he give, when he wasn't sure of the reasons himself. If there was one thing that David hated, it was not having all of the facts. If Max could only tell him, why it was so important for this woman to join the pack, even if it was for the simple reason that Max was lonely; it would be easier for him to rationalise what he was doing to his pack.

As David landed near the entrance to the cave, he concluded that it was time to test his tenuous hold on Michael and push his paranoia to its limits. After all, he had asked Michael how for he wanted to go, and as he still kept coming back for more, David took that to mean he was willing to go the distance.

Star was waiting for him at the bottom of the stairs, and he inwardly sighed with frustration. He wasn't ready to talk to her yet. To his surprise however, instead of assaulting him with a million questions, she only asked one.

"What do you want me to do now?" He smiled sadly at her, held out his hand, and she backed up out of his reach.

"You need to sleep with him. Make him feel...like you...need him. The boys and I will be out for the night. We'll be back at dawn."

"Anything else you want your little whore to do?" She asked, and the vehemence in her voice made him wince.

"You're not a whore, Star." He replied softly.

"What's was that?"

"I said you are not a whore."

"You want me to have sex with a guy I hardly know nor love, what else would you call me?"

"If you can last the night on your own with him, without killing him, you'll know that you can control your hunger." David replied, deliberately not answering her question.

"Oh, so this is a test? Do I get graded at the end?"

"Star..."

"Fine. Go. I'll play your little game. Just...take Laddie with you."

"I can't..."

"Why not?"

David's mind raced desperately, trying to think of a convincing lie. He'd wanted to see Max again after he had been round to Michael's house, and taking the young vampire with them was not an option. However, he understood Star's reluctance to have him there while she tried to seduce Michael.

"We can't take Laddie with us where we're going." He said, hoping she wouldn't ask where they were going. "Isn't there something you can do to keep him occupied?"

"I think I saw some Valerian somewhere in that stuff I brought back from your camp." Marko said, coming from their sleeping chamber, followed by Dwayne and Paul.

"That could work..."

"We drugging the little man, now?" Paul laughed.

"I'm not drugging him! It's a sedative." Star replied angrily, while searching through her things. "It's not like I have a choice here." She felt David's gloved hand on her bare shoulder.

"I know, and I'm–we're–really grateful for this." She spun around to face him, but when she did, she was alone with Laddie.

* * *

As they got to the inlet where they kept their motorcycles, David turned to them with a grimace.

"Come on boys, I want to make this quick."

oOo

They approached Michael's house shortly before 9:30pm. Staying in the shadows and killing their engines, they watched as the old man left. David winced as "La Cucaracha" blared from the horn. Paul clamped his hand over his mouth, trying not to laugh.

David frowned and shuddered at the same time. He had always been unnerved by the old man. Maybe it had something to do with him stuffing dead carcasses for a living. At least the things he hunted and killed, were disposed of and not put on display. The thought of having the people he'd killed stuffed and sent back to their families as a memento of their time in Santa Carla; sparked and dissipated. Sometimes he could be a callous bastard.

When they were satisfied the old man was well away from the house, they revved their engines and turned their lights up high. Circling outside the porch, the boys called Michael out; whooping and cheering. Meanwhile, David concentrated on strengthening the foundations of Michael's paranoia, which would effectively block any attempt by another to claim his will for their own purpose.

_This mind belongs to me..._

David thought, as he called out Michael's name. When he was confident, the hold was sufficient, he signalled to the boys to back off. If he had succeeded the sensory experience of the boys circling the porch would linger long enough for them to leave.

They returned to the shadows, waiting for the results. As Michael opened the door, David ceased the connection, leaving Michael looking bewildered on the porch. For all he saw was an empty path, and the leaves racing after the gust of wind the motorcycles had left in their wake.

David smiled to himself as he watched Michael close the door. It worked perfectly. He couldn't stop what was going to happen tonight, but he could make sure that whatever else Max had in store; it wouldn't hurt his family any more than it already had.

* * *

**A/N:**

**Phew! I'm so glad that Chapter is out of the way. It's been the hardest to write. I hope I'm making everyone's motives clear – especially Star.**

**I'll try not to leave the next one so long!**


End file.
